Harvest the Dark
by Bomber the Scoto Fox
Summary: (FINALLY UPDATED)Jack lost his farm in Mineral Town, but gets another in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Then the girls of BTN follow Jack into the world of AWL. Chaos ensues from this, but the chaos is about to begin, as Carter digs up an ancient evil...
1. Prologue: History

Harvest the Dark

Epilogue: History

A small continent. It was a farming country. No large cities. Population was 2000. Was...2000. Small in number, soon to grow smaller. Something dark brews.

A young man named Jack...His father was a traveler, making business deals. His friend whom Jack never met was named Takakura. He was in Forget-Me-Not Valley, but why wasn't he traveling with Jack's father? Does it matter? But his father had a gang after him. No one, not even Takakura, knew that Jack's father was a drug dealer who ripped off a gang. But then again, does it matter?

Jack's grandfather died. Jack moved to the farm in Mineral Town. How quiet and quaint. How nice. Who cares? Life was good for him. He got the farm running again (though it was difficult since he was only fifteen when he arrived). He was friends with everyone, though he didn't exactly know very much about everyone. He was also very popular with the ladies, as his charm was...I'm boring you. All the girls liked him, so what? His best friends were Cliff and Rick. So life was good, yadda yadda yadda...Does it matter?

Does it matter? Does it matter that Jack is stuck in a situation between five different girls who keep their arguments over him to nothing more then just mild anger conversations and are friendly most of the other time. Does it matter that his farm is thriving, that he's rich, that he is going under mysterious conditions. Does it matter that a gang is after his father? It all matters. In someway it does.

One day the now eighteen but still himself Jack got a letter saying his dad had died... His father was murdered by the gang. They didn't get their money back so they thought they would get it off his son by taking his farm. They made a complicated set up that would get his land from him without him knowing it. Not even the mayor of his city would grasp the situation. But then again the details don't matter. Jack will be forced off his land, and luck would be on his side as the letter was from Takakura. Jack packed some things, took his dog Joey, and left in the middle of the night. All the other animals, save his horse Hyperion, were sold. The land was gone. He lost everything, and now he was on his way to Forget-Me-Not Valley. What could Takakura want from Jack? That doesn't matter. Jack is about to find himself in a battle between 8 women for him, all because of his charm. That doesn't truly matter either, though it will help them through the crisis. The crisis is what does matter as I will soon show them. All I have to do is wait for them to dig me up, and I will show them what true conflict is! The continent of Harvest Moon will be mine! Just as it was thousands of years ago... 


	2. Chapter One: The Beginning and The Omen

Hey, how you doing? Well that first bit was actually the prologue, I was just forgetting which was which, and right now I'm too lazy to change the text document. So anyway this is going to be comady, supernatural, romance, action, and horror. Basically it's going to be an epic, only there will still be some farming (in weird situations) and the socializing between the characters. We'll get to that part later though. And now for the reviews. 

RWT :Yes, it is going to have that, and bonus's. This first chapter will mostly be involving setting the plot though. We'll get to the funny chaos later.  
Storm The Panther: More explenation? Well that will be coming up in this chapter (or more things to ponder over, you decide). And your going to be sick of Mineral Town in this chapter, it's mostly about them. Oh and "My own Thougths" in the story...I wasn't talking. That was from the main antagonists point of view, I just didn't reveal that because I thought it'd be more dramatic if I just revealed that at the end with "I will rule like I did long ago"  
Dragon Luver:Thank you, and this chapter is definitely longer.  
Intense Gamer:Your going to find out more in this chapter, but you may find more questions to be answered as well. With every answer that comes, along with it comes another question and a side order of fries.  
Well now it's time to get to the chapter. And thanks for the reviews. I think I have more reviews on this one story then I got on all of the other reviews I got on my other stories. Would you believe I came up with this story in the sixth grade (now in tenth)? Yeah, going to need a lot of tuning out on this story.

-

Chapter One: The Beginning and The Omen

Jack was upset. He lost what he strived so hard to get, and he didn't even know how he lost it. It defied comprehension. The Mayor of Mineral Town, Thomas, told him he had to leave. He said it was out of his power, and that the MILITARY was going to personally drive him off his land if he refused. There was even a letter that came with Thomas's message. Then he got another letter, this one from his dad's friend, telling him to come to Forget-Me-Not village if he could. Jack had to go, it was a start for a new home and future. He lost all his possessions and all his money. He some how ended up in so much dept it was insane. It upset him so much that he abandoned his scarf and cap, which were his most distinctive physical features next to his eyes.

So here he was, walking with Takakura. The area was very nice. Takakura showed him around the town and introduced him to everyone. He was as friendly as he could be, despite how his emotions were telling him to rave and scream. He was normally nice, kind of a goof actually, generally nice mostly. Nicer then the people you usually would run into. Something about him always made him friends with the people he met. But not this day, he lost the land of his childhood. His farm...gone... It was as if it was an act of god that took it away from him...with legal papers and threats from the government...what government? Harvest Moon didn't have some big wig taking care of everything. The mayors of the towns get together for important stuff like mass famine but that's just about it. How could there be an army to kick him off his land? Jack didn't want to find out. So here he was. So far he met three girls about his age that he thought he would like. There names were Nami, Muffy, and Celia. Jack got smacked when he thought that the blonde girl's name was Muffler though...but he managed to get out of the situation with a wink from Muffy when he left, and without even trying. Celia also was already affected by his mysterious charm. But only them and the keepers of the Inner Inn warmed up to him during the first introduction. When all this was done, Takakura finally got down to the nitty gritty of the situation.

"Jack," began Takakura. "I know you must have things to do but...your father." Jack thought about that. His father? Was he going to say something about his always missing father?

"Did you know your father wanted a simple life from his trading business?" Suuuurpriiiise! Impossible. Jack's dad was always striving to become a great merchant. Money was always on hand from dad's stocks. Strangely enough, he never got mugged when he made deals in ghetto's to get development projects underway (Never mugged, he was too popular with the junkies. It was the big show sharks that were after him).

"What kind of simple life?" asked Jack.

"Your father wanted to be a farmer like your grandfather," said Takakura. Jack was very surprised. His dad a farmer? Your kidding! Impossible...

"So we bought this farm together. But he...had things to take care of, in a foreign trade. We know that he died on the trip. At first cops thought he was poisoned because of how he was. But in truth he wasn't able to become immune to the new bacteria quick enough."

Little did they know that the truth was the opposite. It was diagnosed as bacteria when it was in fact a poisonous vaccine to make it look like a disease...

"So now, the farm is yours Jack. I will help you with the farm, but I can't handle the place on my own. So let me show you around your new farm, I don't think I'll need to explain anything. Personally I think you got in debt from some kind of cover up thing that happened in your fathers company."

"That doesn't explain how the military got involved," said Jack glumly, looking down at the ground.

"What? Harvest Moon has an army?"

"I didn't know either. Thank you Takakura! A new farm! I don't think I could get back to the city! This is very nice! A new farm..."

Shut up Jack. He knew that he wasn't that excited. The farm was great and all, but what he wanted was his grandpa's farm. Not some thing his never home Dad just upped an bought for whatever reasons he wanted. _"Those are cruel thoughts,"_ thought Jack. _"I should be happy for a new home, a new chance, new possibility."_ But what about all the friends he left in Mineral Town? Cliff, Rick, Karen, Mary, Ann, Popuri, Elli, Pastor Carter, Gray, Kai (though it wasn't summer and so Kai wouldn't find out for awhile), and the Doctor...strangely enough he didn't like to tell his name so everyone just called him Doc. Those were his main friends. He liked everyone else as well, but those were his main friends.

"Look Takakura," Jack continued. "I really do like this new farm, but... I'm sorry I can't show how grateful I am but... I lost the place where my fondest childhood memories were held. This valley is beautiful, but it doesn't match up to all that I went through on my grandpa's farm. And the memories I had when it was mine."

Jack recalled the time that he had thrown a party for all his friends. He spent a lot of money to get it ready. It started at 10:00 AM and ended at...he couldn't remember. It ended when the last guy fell down. That was most likely either Pastor Carter or Doc. Jack did a lot of work to make sure that there were a variety of foods, snacks, and drinks. Juice, punch, wine, cocoa, milk... he didn't want to leave anything out that would be a possibility. Jack himself liked apple juice before the sun was completely down. All the other villagers came for Jack's self appointed 'festival' but they didn't stick around long. Only his best friends stayed very long. The wine wasn't touched till late in the evening. Karen made sure everyone had some. Cliff didn't want to embarrass himself and wanted to stick to cold milk. But once she got him started... working at the vineyard must have really had an effect on him. Pastor Carter also had some to drink, but not enough to where his wit would be deluded. He fell asleep with a straw hat over his head and slept next to a cow Jack kept fenced in at the far side of the farm (Jack was out long before then though). There was plenty of room for the festivities. But all in all it was a fond memory he had with all his friends. Karen sang a song that Mary wrote during the party. Kai tried to do some stand up that day and did very well. He got Cliff all excited and went up to tell jokes on Jack's small porch he had constructed next to the modest green house. He was funny as well, but in a different way. He were laughing at him, not with him. But we applauded him all the same. Gray made fireworks, which turned out to be quite good, though nothing like the rockets that Saibara would make for summer. Fun...and it was on his farm. Everything great about his life was on that farm! And now...now it's gone...

Jack, in spite of himself, wanted to cry about the whole damn thing. Everything was so peaceful yet exciting. It was fantastic. And in one letter, one threat letter, it was all taken from him. The animals he grew so attached to, he raised them, fed them, breed them... He worked so hard, and enjoyed every moment of it. And then it all left. He was told in the letter to sell his possessions. He was told to hand the farm over to a bank he'd never heard of. He was told to sell his animals. And then he would collect the money and send it to that 'bank.' Jack saw the seal on the letter, how the letter was made. It didn't seem forged at all, but he knew he'd been robbed. And there was that military symbol on the letter, saying that the military would take action if he didn't do what he was told. And that just doesn't happen. Tanks rolling in from the hills, over his farm fences and over his crops, planes flying in and soldiers parachuting from the sky, all to take out a farmer who didn't want to sell his land... It's crazy! And yet, there was that seal. What would the military want with his land? He could fight for his land, in courtly terms, but how do you counterattack a bank/military compost heap of a system if you don't even know where to send the letter trying to clear it up?

Jack was very happy for a new home, and thankful for Takakura. But all Jack wanted him to do was to shut up, shove off to his house, so that Jack could just go to his new hut of a house and bawl on the bed and try and soak all of this in. It just wasn't fair.

"You look really tired," said Takakura. "I'll leave, but before I do that there is just one more thing you need to do. Name the cow I bought for you." Jacks eyes looked into Takakura's semi-closed eyes.

"Thank you very much," said Jack. "But...ah forget it. I'll tell you the name tomorrow. I'll just go into the barn now, look at her." Jack did just that, turning to face the barn and walking in not even looking to see if Takakura had left. Jack opened the doors of the barn and looked it. The cow was very nice. Seemed very healthy, and friendly. "What can I call you other then my new beginning," Jack said to himself. "That is the only name for you. Beginning." Jack unloaded his basic needs from Hyperion and guided Hyperion into the barn. Jack carried his stuff into the new house, taking Joey with him inside, and flopped down on the bed. Did he fall asleep and cry or cry himself to sleep? There was no way to tell.

-

Karen and Rick stood by the town mailbox right outside the supermarket. They were chatting heartily about the events that were to come up in that Spring. It was the fourth of the season. The Goddess Festival was coming up, but Karen had no fear. No fear at all. She was looking forward to it.

It was the fourth year that Jack had been in the village now. He was allowed to stay. Karen thought he practically took over the town! She thought of what a pain he was at first. He was nice, friendly, nothing to hate about him. But he was clumsy sometimes... And their first encounter could have went better. They passed greetings and when Jack went off to leave, he slipped on... Karen tried to remember what happened that day. It seemed like a blur. She remembered being angry, but the only thing she remembered was his smiling face when they both cheered up after they rolled down that. Yes that was it. Jack slipped on the early morning dew and they both rolled down the path of Mother's Hill down to the edge of the forest. They landed in an...awkward position. Somehow she had grown fond of Jack, but she wasn't about to admit it.

During that year he asked her out to the Goddess Festival. He didn't look like he was pleading or anything. He looked like he was simply being friendly. She turned him down. She had already said yes to Rick, but he took it well. He said "Oh okay then. Hey there's Ann, I'll go ask her. Later..." She simply smiled lightly, holding back a laugh. Any other guy and she would have been irritated. But something about his face. Mind control is what her mother said. He had the mind control. He didn't have it bad like manipulative people did, but he had it. It was more like the 'awwww' that you cannot hold back from a sleeping baby. They MAKE you do it.

Rick was looking forward to the Goddess Festival as well. It was the only time that Popuri would dance and it wouldn't be with Kai. Mamma called the doctor and the doctor said "Popuri hike, dance, or any form of exercise to keep herself in shape." They were worried that Lillia's problem might be brewing inside Popuri. The problem was that she refused to go on long hikes. She only liked going as far as the spring and walk around there for awhile. Dancing, she only did that two times. During this festival, and with...that Kai.

Rick thought of Jack as a good friend. Not as such as Jack and Cliff were though. When Cliff isn't working at the Vineyard, or out eating with Duke and Manna, or at church...okay so they don't hang out much. But they are always in good cheer around each other. Rick didn't know exactly how Cliff and Jack were better friends then Jack was with Rick, but Rick knew why. It's because Jack was friends with Kai. Rick didn't exactly dislike Jack over this, but after he found out he wasn't able to tell Jack about the problems Kai gave him. Big problems. No one knew what Kai did to him... or was that a dream? Rick, deep down, knew that the hassle Kai gives him was nothing more then the kind of pranks a big brother performs on his little brother. Rick also had to look out for his sister. But she didn't seem to understand that, just like Rick couldn't understand her urge to be independent.

Rick also liked Karen's dancing. He was also planning on asking her out to the Goddess Festival. They went the last three years, but she denied him the last two years. And why? Over Jack. That was another problem. But Rick wasn't so annoyed because... well Karen would return and ask if Rick was still open. And why? Because she find's out that every girl asked him again. Two times that happened. Popuri likes Jack, but seems to still like Kai. Who to dislike more? Kai obviously. Rick's sister and Karen may like Jack, but he had do admit that he was an easy to like guy. In fact, Rick always found it hard to stay mad at that guy more then a minute for taking Karen. Well he wouldn't get mad this year. Rick had a plan to get her to accept this year on her own free will. He had spent his hidden stash of cash to get her a special bracelet that would match well with her dancing style and the Goddess costume. He had saved up for this moment for the last four years. Just hiding away what little extra cash was he was allowed. Most of it went to buying Orichalcum from a catalogue. Rick didn't know where it was. Jack new though. Rick asked for some once, and what did Jack give him? Some quartz thing... And then the Orichalcum arrived in the mail and Rick discovered he spent all that money for nothing. Jack had the real deal all along. And the bracelet was made. He was going to give it to her the day before the festival, which was going to be very soon. But what if that didn't work?

Thomas came up to the store doors and greeted Rick and Karen. "Hi Thomas," said Rick, while Karen nodded.

"Have you seen Jack?" asked Karen. Her face blushed slightly, but she covered it up with the usual smile she had on her face. The smile didn't hint at all about her feelings for Jack, but the small blush just hinted at it. Just.

"Jack..." said Thomas while looking down at the ground as if in thought.

"Yeah...did you forget his face or something?" Karen replied with a laugh.

"No. He's...gone," said Thomas.

"What!" shouted Karen with fear. _"It was that foodI gave him during the new years festival whenwe decided he could stay. It had to be.I cooked something and it was burnt and it was something and it poisoned him and now he's deadI was just moving too quickly and thenI bumped the table or counter or cupboard or something and then something fell out like ore or rat poison or something and it was bad and it poisoned him and now he's dead...and..."_

"I...asked him to leave," continued Thomas.

"You...what?" inquired Karen, shocked and angry at the same time.

"But why?" asked Rick. He was equally surprised. They voted for him to stay. The only one who didn't was some guy named Aqua that no one ever heard of. The only clue to be found to the culprit was "He stained my best outfit!"

"It..s..complicated," said Thomas. "I got a letter with instructions to tell Jack to get out. The specifics were in a confidential letter that was going to be sent to him. He got it the same day that I told him he had to leave. I don't know why he had to, but... That letter was very eerie. It had some official looking emblem on it, but it looked almost...Macomb. I don't know what to make of it . I never saw any emblem like that in all of Harvest Moon. I can't even describe it!"

"And you didn't look into it more!" protested Karen. There was no excuse for not denying the letter or trying to find out what it was.

"Well, this is confidential but..." Thomas began to reply sheepishly. "An army division bought his land." All Rick and Karen did was stare at Thomas with gaping mouths. "And a threat should I decline my 'duty' to inform Jack to leave. A threat to the entire town. That was confidential. Now...I need to buy some things for home." Thomas walked in. That was the end of that discussion.

-

"Can't this thing go any faster?" shouted Kai at the captain of the ferry. He needed to get back there soon. Mineral Town had serious trouble going on. Fear for Popuri's safety was all that was on his mind. Safety for everyone there, even that uptight Rick. Something bad was going to happen, Kai just didn't know what. All he had was that prophet's word, but it gave him enough chills to check up on it anyway.

Kai had been traveling in the south. He loved adventuring. Something about the open sea, and the land near the sea. He loved the sea. He sometimes thought of himself as some kind of pirate perusing his title in the world. He even raided a village or two. A little charity party. Signs would read 'Party at Kai's place!' and they'd come. He'd prepare well for the rush, and have plenty of food, games, and things that needed to be bought. And when it was over, he would have made a good profit. And then it was off to the next village. He even had a girl he planned to highjack. Popuri wouldn't mind being taken out into the sea with him. They'd travel the world pillaging and adventuring. Kai and his summer time party shacks here or there, or the temporary stands that he'd rent. Everything was just fine and dandy. Never a dull day, and living life to it's fullest. If only he could tie up that Rick and show him around this find sea and show him just that. Throw yourself into the first thing you see and live life to it's fullest. Never a dull day.

So there he was in some small village. He didn't think the place would suit his adventuring, but it turned out it would set him on a potentially good and dangerous one that even HE didn't like the sound of. A wandering prophet walked up to him and said he had work to do in a valley where the seasons are shorter then they are everywhere else. He said that something was coming, for the worst. He said that when the happy one leaves the village, disaster will fall. Mineral Town was the place he spoke of. Kai knew the prophet was speaking of Mineral Town when he said that he'd better hurry if he cared for 'the young maiden who's hair is that of the spring cherry blossom, she who yearns freedom.' But who was the happy one? Jack of course. He smiled when he was young and it got stuck that way. Kai heard that he was going to be banished if he did a bad job on the farm. Kai made his ballot in advance, in Jack's favor. But what if he didn't succeed in staying, and the decision would be made on the first day of the new year. Kai had been on the sea for five days rushing back to Mineral Town, four days late. Pictures of the village burnt and Popuri's head on a pike on top of his shack ran through his mind.

"Come on go faster!" shouted Kai. He was becoming very impatient. He swore there was smoke off in the horizon, and he could make out land but he couldn't see the town, not even considering the fact that it might all just be in his head. He was scared of what could possibly have happened while he was gone. He wasn't much of a man for destiny. He didn't believe it. Crackpot gypsy people running around telling you what to do in the name of the gods, crazy. No such thing as Fate. But here he was believing it like a hypocrite. He wouldn't have paid that prophet any mind if it weren't for how he phrased the prophecy. He didn't say if Jack leaves, it was WHEN Jack leaves. So all Kai could do here was yell at the captain of this ferry to go faster. He was paying him good money to get this paddle board excuse of a boat to Mineral Town fast. And what happens? FIVE DAYS of waiting on the cool blue of the ocean, which he wasn't enjoying now. Not at all.

It wouldn't have taken this long if it weren't for the fact that a storm hit when he was trying to get out of that dinky village's harbor. The only man who would take him out into the great sea storm was a old seaman with a boat that looked like the Hulk of all boats. That thing couldn't survive a wave like that. It came out of nowhere, and it slammed the boat in the weirdest way. Instead of capsizing it, the wave seamed to weave it's way INTO the boat and it just became too heavy and sank. And good ole Captain He's Who I'm Trying to Become sank with his mighty ship, and he didn't even get to enjoy it. He was knocked out in the storm. The wave hit, squirming it's way through the doors of the boat despite how they were bolted down. It washed Capt' down into some locker, and it slammed shut and locked. Kai couldn't rescue him and had to abandon ship. No way was the sea going to take him when Popuri's life might be at risk. And that is what pressed him on. Popuri. At first he was worried, but he was panicking every second when that storm and that wave came. That is when he truly believed that prophecy. It was that wave, that was practically an act of Poseidon himself! He barely escaped the wrath of the sea god. He was washed up back on the shore of that dinky village two days after the storm. He was lucky that the days were already growing warmer despite the fact it was still winter, and the fact that he was in a tropical area during that storm. It was now the last day of winter. He quickly got his act together after waking up at a hospital much like the one in Mineral Town. He left against their will, and purchased a ride on a ferry boat. The only thing in the harbor that wasn't destroyed in the storm! And now he was making a very slow trip back to Mineral Town. Back to nature's fondest plaything. Good old Mineral Town. Mother Nature always had a good place for that village. And now the town may be in ashes!

Kai had tried to take control of the boat days ago. The wimpy middle aged man, the captain of the S.S. SOS, just so happened to have two Goliath body guards to fondle him on his 'daring sea expedition' and making Kai mad. Hurry up hurry up hurry up! These seemed like the only words Kai knew at this point.

"Go faster!" shouted Kai. "We're almost there so please go faster!"

"Doooooooo IIII have to call in the booooyyys again SIIIIIIIR," said that jackass cowardly ferry captain. "Tell you what, I'll go faster if you give me another tup..."

"Another 2000 G tip?" snarled Kai. "For the eighth time?" The ferry captain reached for the intercom.

"BUUUUOOOYYYYEEEES!" said the ferry captain. "Come to the steering room and give Kai the...Fishing, and the...class A sandwich. Give him a Dunkin Hurtz Doughnut too!"

The Neanderthals burst into the room. Kai turned around but wasn't quick enough as they got him in their clutches. They began fishing. They fished out everything he had. Then his knuckle sandwich to teach him to be quiet. They took him out of the steering room and gave him his Dunkin Hurtz Doughnut. They threw him overboard with such force he belly flopped. The ferry captain came out and waved to Kai.

"Ride the S.S. SSSSSSSSoooorrry anytime you want!" shouted the prick of a ferry man. He and his body guards went back into the steering room and began to drive the ferry out to sea again, and this time it went FAST. Kai cursed to himself and looked to the shoreline of Mineral Beach. It didn't look far but he knew it was going to be a good five miles of swimming. He couldn't believe it! But Popuri was on the line. And he guessed that since the waves were pushing him in that direction with a lot of force, good ole Poseidon was on his side for the day. Kai began to swim back to nature.

-

Cliff, you mess. That is what he thought. They knew him pretty well by now, but not his past. Cliff... His village. It's true he left on his own accord, but the Mineral Town villagers didn't really know what the village was or where he was from or what he was. It was some kind of military town. It was under the employment of a gang. He was young when he snuck away from the village or base. He hadn't proven himself worthy of knowing the name of the gang or the name of the army division. But he was a part of it, and fought with it in several missions. He kept that hidden for a while. But he came here, and he couldn't lie to Pastor Carter. That was his only salvation from his murders, though it was few compared to what an actual war veteran would be able to boast about. So if he could tell Pastor Carter, why couldn't he tell sweet Ann? She'll hate him that's why. He took life. Damn the sword. They gave him a gun but he was a horrible shot. He was not very strong either. But he had a good sword arm and they sent him on missions where he was going to travel light, and needed to be quiet. He felt like some kind of ninja reject. And why couldn't he tell Jack, his best friend? Who knows. Jack was a good person, and had the right to know that he was with a murderer, and pursue other friends that were better. But Cliff didn't want to tell him either, simple as that. Duke and Manna, how could he break their hearts? They now have someone they can pretend is their son. What would they say if they found out? And yet Cliff kept the sword he swore would be his bane, as a reminder of who he was, and that he must repent for it someday. But if they should find it...

Cliff did his best to always seem clean and tidy when inside. Making sure that Ann had no reason to clean his room. No reason to look around and just one day find that sword. That horrible blade. It was black. It looked like a jagged tooth. The back of the blade was curved, then would bend down slightly again, and back up to a point. The front of the blade curved to the point, with little sharp ridges in it leading all the way to the top. It was designed to leave gruesome scars to those who survive it. And in the other side of the scabbard was a small plain dagger for quicker kills. And it was his to bear with shame.

KNOCK KNOCK sounded the door followed by Ann's voice. Cliff put the scabbard holding those devil weapons under a loose floor plank under his bed. It was a clearly noticeable thing if one simply looks under the bed to clean. Gotta keep this place clean, don't need anyone looking under there for dust bunnies.

Cliff finally opened the door to his room and looked out to see Ann's bright and beaming face. _"Great Goddess of the harvest, why does she have to be so lovely and grace a murderer like me with her presence?"_ thought Cliff.

"Hi Cliff!" greeted Ann. "You look sad again today. Jack got to stay here and you've been sad again for too much of the time. Why?"

_"Because of the dreams. The old Cliff, is out there looking for you. He wants out. He's in that sword and he wants out for some blood. And I have to keep it with me,"_ thought Cliff. He opened his mouth to speak to Ann, and quickly tried to make it a yawn.

"Hmm? Sleepy?" asked Ann.

"Nightmares," said Cliff. "Bad ones. I feel like something is going to happen. I'm skipping work today and going to church. I'm going to see if Pastor Carter can't help me clear this up. I think I'm having black visions."

Ann laughed softly to this. It was just amusing that Cliff was so serious about church. Look at him, the way he's dressed. He seems like the type that would skip work, but not to go to church!

"If you say so Cliff," replied Ann. "Just get your breakfast first. It's downstairs okay?" She graced Cliff with a smile and walked a small distance away and looked back. She smiled at Cliff again and began to giggle. "I'm so happy Jack is staying!" Having said thus she went around the corner, and the sounds of her feet against wood followed as she proceeded down the flight of stairs.

"Jack," Cliff began to say to himself. "You deserve to be with her. I wish I was, but I am not worthy, and I fear I will kill her. You and her...yes. Not me, so stop insisting I break the ice." Having said his peace, Cliff followed after her. He didn't even notice that the door to Ann and Gray's room was open slightly. Gray's head peered out. His gaze was cold, but if one looked right, you would notice that he is worried for the troubled Cliff. He knows something is deep inside him that eats at him. Gray knew... Somehow, he got mixed up in the same group and fled. Best reason to stay here in the country and learn how to make stuff out of metal. You may find a way to stop those 'black weapons' that those crazy cult gang guys are making.

-

"Lillia how are you doing today?" asked Doc. "Well today is the day. A new kind of medicine has come in today. It hasn't been named yet, and it hasn't been tested on humans yet. We don't know what the side effects are but it may just help you out more then anything else we can possibly do for you without the Desert Flower."

"Thank you very much Doc," said Lillia. "I think I'll risk it anyway. I really need to get my energy back. I'm not sure how much longer I can take those winters. I do so little work, and it tires me out so much, and then there's my children doing the work for me."

"Elli will give you the medicine," said Doc. "There's just one problem. It requires a shot. Once a day for one week. Come see me then. If you feel anything that seems very out of the ordinary, come see me."

"I already feel something out of the ordinary. I feel it in my heart."

"Well..."

"Yes, I'll go see her now."

Lillia walked over to the registration desk. Elli handed her a high impact resistant case, safely holding the medicine inside. She took it carefully and walked out of the building with a fragile grace. Elli stood up from the desk and left to see Doc behind the curtains.

"Sir I," began Elli.

"Yes Elli?" asked Doc. "Is something the matter?"

"I think something is going to happen soon. I feel it too."

"It is just a aftershock of the celebration on the first. Jack gets to stay here, and I know that you like him." Yes he knew, though he didn't want to know. Doc liked Elli, but didn't appeal to the idea of being seen as the doctor in that book, The Medicine of A New Healing. It was written not too long ago. It stars a nurse who behaves much like Elli, and a doctor who behaves like Doc. But the ending is tragic as you find out that the doctor you liked up till the end was really a sick man who raped and murdered nurses in the hospital he worked in. Doc did not like the idea about a book character acting like him. He knew better then to believe that the villagers would read the same book and get ideas about him, but still. So he didn't lay a finger on Elli. If she wants to be with him, he'll accept. Until then, let her be happy. She read The Medicine too. He was afraid she may freak out if he tried to get closer to her, even just a hug. So let her be happy.

"Well that may be sir but..." continued Elli. "I really do think something is about to happen. I can't place my finger on it...but..." Doc closed his eyes.

"...I know...I feel it too..." said Doc. As he grows closer to the cures for people, he gets the feeling more often. Gray came to him once and gave him a mysterious ore. Doc was curious about it at first, it had a sort of aura to it. Gray told him find a cure to it. He studied the ore, and it seemed that it would effect creatures the way that Lillia's disease effects her. This new medicine he's made is from experimenting on the ore. Gray said that some people were making 'black weapons' with it. Doc didn't like the idea. And he read newspapers that are foreign to this country of Harvest Moon. Things were indeed happening, and cases like Lillia were springing up everywhere, most of them were people who were attacked. Something was happening...but what? Doc hoped his cure would work. It could save a lot of people in this new epidemic. But there was always one thing that rang in his mind about the matter. 'Black Weapons.'

-

The day was late now. Karen and Rick had finished spreading the word. From Gotz to Zack, from Mary to Ann, and everywhere in between except Pastor Carter They couldn't find him. Everyone was shocked, but not as shocked as it would have been if Karen and Rick told anyone the confidential information. But some didn't need to know. They knew on their own. Cliff went back to his room on hearing, stood over his black weapon, and cursed the weapon. Gray went to Mary's library. It was going to be closed this fine Monday, but... she'd let him inside. This was important. So he knocked on the door of the library. She opened it up and let him it.

The library wasn't lit very well. Only the sky light revealed light, and it was mostly shut over itself. How Mary did that, Gray didn't know. She had a ladder to do it, but...

"Hey," said Gray.

"...Hi," said Mary.

They both had little words to describe what the meaning of this was. Gray looked around and at the books that were never on display, the strange artifacts, the scented candles. It was for a ritual. They both knew about black weapons. Gray told her, and she had a book on the ore the cursed weapons were made from. They both had this emotion... Gray had two though. One for her, one for what was going to happen...whatever it was. Mary was worried about the future too, and was afraid for Jack.

"See the future yet?" asked Gray.

"No," answered Mary. "I don't think I can do that. I can't do anything with the ore you brought. Maybe if you had more, or if you worked on the ore while I tried the ritual.

"I don't think I should do that. It would make the old man appreciate me maybe, but I don't dare try more with that stuff then this. I gave most of it to Doc, see if he can find a cure for it. Not sure if he did yet, if it's even possible. And you couldn't find out if it has a spirit. The best thing would be to melt and mold it, but I dare not make anything with...THAT...stu..ff..."

Gray glared down at the black ore on one of the tables. He had trouble hiding it from Ann, and more so from Saibara. Saibara could practically SMELL that powerful ore on Gray. The small amounts of it's dust on his cloths. Saibara was hungry for that ore. Gray, did you find a new ore? No sir. Are you sure? I don't. I had a feeling you had something new, something that would make great things. I SAID I DON'T! Gah! That stuff shouldn't be tampered with, Gray risked too much giving it to Mary and Doc! That stuff could poison them, or call out to them, or make Cliff's black weapon call out to him. That would be a catastrophe.

-

Pastor Carter could only stare in wonder at the man wandering out of the ocean. Things were getting weirder and weirder. The Goddess came to him in a vision the night before Jack's Judgment. Some dark thing came out of a hole in the ground. It was by a river, in a town Pastor Carter knew housed another man named Carter. That Carter was digging and will dig too deeply. Jack is in that town too, a small town. This was Forget-Me-Not Valley. Something was going to happen there, and it would involve that dig site. And then Jack was allowed to stay, and then Cliff came and told him how the...black weapon...called to him. Ancient ore, ancient weapons, and something ancient in Forget-Me-Not Valley. And now here comes that young Kai from the ocean. He looks very tired.

Pastor Carter jogged down to the beach line and grabbed hold of Kai as he collapsed.

"By The Goddess what happened?" asked Pastor Carter.

"A lot of things," said Kai. The seaman looked up to Carter and grinned. "But nothing I couldn't handle."

"What are you doing here? Don't tell me you swam here from across the sea?"

"I was coming here on a boat and got ship wrecked. Then I got on a very slow ferry to come here. Five days we traveled on that paddle board, and they mugged me and dropped me in the sea five miles out there. I swam here...what time is it? Uhh...I need a drink."

"Sure, I'll take you to the Inn. But first we should get you to Doc."

"No. Get Doc to come to me at the Inn, but before that, I got a little ghost story for ya that a prophet told me, and what happened to me on the greatest ship I ever saw, and before that...Is Jack still here?"

"Yes, he got voted to stay."

"Great! Now let me tell you the Epic of Kai."

-

Kai was feeling much better. Everyone in the whole village came to see him there at the Inn, with the doctor checking him out in front of everyone while he was stuffing his face and drinking wine. Kai was so cold after coming out of the water that the stethoscope Doc had was nothing. And now he was with a hot meal, and some wine from their own Aja.

"Please Kai stop eating long enough for me to get this exam done accurately," pleaded Doc. Kai took a big bite of a steak with his bare hands, ripped off a chunk, swallowed it whole, and finished off with a long gulp of wine.

"No can do. This is all I need right here!" shouted Kai, swaying a little while shaking the mug in his hands a bit. Rick glared at him.

"What happened to you Kai!" asked Popuri.

"I'll be more then happy to tell. I got some oracle thing saying something bad happened here, and I came to check it out for laughs. But I especially became suspicious when I got caught in a storm. I was on the finest vessel that could have ever grazed the surface of the sea. We came into a storm. I took the wheel and tried to save me and my crew, but lol ohl erelll ol lol...whatever old stories say... but lo! Yeah that's it. Huge wave, size of Mother Hill comes out of the depths at us. Out of nowhere. It was weird. Normally the waves build up and up and up and crash. This one just leaped out of the ocean. It didn't capsize the boat either. It smothered the ship and I swear to the Harvest Goddess that wave was possessed. It CRAWLED INTO THE SHIP, and flooded me out, taking the boat and the men with it!"

"Yeah I bet," grumbled Rick.

"Hmph, didn't expect different from you Rick," commented Kai. "So I washed back up on the shore I started from. I got on a paddle board of a ferry and off I was to Mineral Beach. Took way to long. The trip cost everything I had. That's right folks, I'm poor now. Five miles off the shore they mugged me, and threw me into the sea. I swam that five miles here. And you know how I did it?"

Rick gave him a look that said 'you didn't swim five miles, you just got more then you could chew and washed ashore.' Everyone shook their heads at Kai's question, eagerly expecting the answer. Kai staggered to his feet a bit, either from stiffness in his worn muscles or from the wine, or both. He wobbled over to Popuri, took her hand and said "I couldn't have done it without this fine lass." Popuri blushed. Kai took a good look around the Inn. "Say where's Jack?" asked Kai. "Where ya hiding?"

"...He...left..." said Cliff. Kai instantly woke up.

"What the hell did you say?" said Kai, fear in his eyes.

"He got kicked out of town by some 'army' thing that threatened the town," confessed Thomas. "I was forced to ask him to leave, and he left after selling all his cattle, sheep, hens, fish, everything. He sold it all, sent the money to a bank I haven't heard of, and left."

"Oh Goddess," said Pastor, his normally almost closed eyes wide open. Kai fainted.

-

_Dear Diary,  
It's me, Jack. I just woke up this morning. Now I'm ready to begin my first day on my new farm. I feel well rested, despite how many bad dreams I had. I feel scared, not about my new life, but of the future. My dreams were very vivid, and they weren't pleasant at all. I had a dream about everyone I've met here and in Mineral Town were in a strange new world...many of them. And we were all running from something, and from each other. There was a gang, and they had shiny weapons made out of some kind of black metal, or was it a rock? I couldn't tell. Cliff and Gray were doing something with one of the weapons, a mean looking sword. And some other things happened. It all seemed so real but I'm forgetting it all very fast. I'll just close my entry here for now and continue on with it later tonight before I go to bed. I'll tell you about how my day went. Until then don't burn up or fill out too early!_


	3. Chapter Two: A New Day, and the Dawn of ...

I finally updated this! Homework got out of the way and now I finished the next chapter at last! Read, review, enjoy! Oh and I'll be using the line a lot!

* * *

Chapter Two: A New Day, and the Dawn of Black Metal

Jack woke up to the rising sun. It was about 7:00 AM judging by the time of year. Time to get to work, time to build a new future... So he stood up and stretched. He would worry about breakfast some other time. He really wanted to get to work. He had to. It was his only medication from his tragedy. If he worked, he'd concentrate on work, and wouldn't have to remember.

Jack walked out of his new found home, and looked around himself. The day was calm, there was a small breeze, and the sun was already warming the morning air. This was a place to go for a vacation, but he'd never like this place as much as he did his home. We walked into the barn, and up to his new cow Beginning.

"There is a milker in your tool shed," said Takakura, walking up from behind Jack and startling the troubled farmer.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," said Jack turning around. He started to chuckle a little afterwards. "Thank you Takakura. I'll get to work right away."

"All your other tools are in there too," continued Takakura. "There is also a very large rucksack in there. It can hold a lot of stuff. I'd even say it is magical. It was given to your father by someone claiming to have gotten it from a deity."

"Really?" asked Jack with excitement. "Wow, thanks!" Jack was ready to start the day. All he needed were some seeds, milk Beginning, and... It seemed vague to him. He was so upset about losing his farm that he was starting to forget what else to do. Brush! He brought a brush with him for Hyperion, and it would work just as well on Beginning. He had everything he needed right away, even a fishing rod for getting food should have the situation turned sour. Takakura left the barn after saying goodbye and good luck.

Jack walked into the tool shed from the door on the side of the barn. He gathered up the magical rucksack, put the tools in, and went back into the barn. He got to work on brushing and milking Beginning. He began to talk to Beginning.

"I know it must seem strange," said Jack. "We just met and already I feel we've bonded nicely. I'll be sure to take good care of you Beginning. It's time to do great things in this life. I've had more of my share of blessings in this life. I was never poor till I came to Harvest Moon. Then I went from rich to poor, from lonely to happy. Soon I was rich again as I worked hard to become a great farmer. I've made irreplaceable friends. I wish I could have said goodbye... but I didn't want them to become involved in my petty problems. The military... what a surprise! Ha...ha..." Jack began to weep again, while smiling to himself. The tears were just softly making their way down his cheeks. It was thought to be sad to see a man cry. Jack felt that it was the only way to prove you were human in times of hardship. But he was beginning to wish he didn't cry. It WAS sad when you were beginning to become accustomed to it. Jack needed to put that life behind him now, and do it fast.

* * *

"Hello again," replied Tim to Jack's hello. "Jack was it?"

"That's right," said Jack. He had finished with Beginning not to long ago, and had decided to become more acquainted with the surrounding area.

"What brings you to the Inner Inn?" asked Tim.

"I wanted to delve into our introduction more," replied Jack.

"Delve huh? Well you know that I run the Inner Inn with my wife Ruby. She's a good cook. We used to travel around before we came here. That is how I got all the decorations here in the Inn. I think it gives you a sense of culture, atmosphere."

"Yeah, one Inn that I knew of was in Mineral Town. That is where I was before I came here. It didn't have as many decorations like your place does, but it had a nice atmosphere."

"You talking about Doug's Place? I know what your talking about. I've tried to get that same atmosphere in here, but then I noticed that it was Doug's personality that floated in the air. Sense then I've just tried to put as much of myself in the Inn for people to enjoy."

"Only works if you have class," said a female voice coming from down the stairs. Jack already knew that the voice must belong to someone of intelligence. A red haired girl was making her way down the stairs. Jack hadn't seen her the other day, but was told about her. Nami.

"Don't get me wrong," continued Nami. "This place has a class of it's own. But not one atmosphere like Doug's Place."

She walked up to Jack and looked at him for a minute. This had happened to Jack many times before, and then the girl would instantly become curious about him. He knew he was a good looking guy, but it was becoming repetitive. But Jack was surprised at how she was surveying him. Her poker face and her ice blue eyes told him that she was trying to pick out features on him for a different reason. Did she know him? Was she trying to remember him?

"So your that Jack guy," she said finally.

_"You know me?"_ is what Jack thought, but he thought it would be more appropriate to ask rather "So you've visited Mineral Town?"

"Yeah," said Nami. "I didn't see you, but I was told of you. It was a year ago that I went there, it was during the spring, the fifteenth I think."

_"Yeah well I was visiting the Harvest Sprites for a tea party,"_ thought Jack.

"So what are you doing here?" asked Nami.

"I...lost my farm in Mineral Town," replied Jack grimly.

"Voted out. I remember that you were going to be voted to either stay or leave. You don't seem like the kind of guy that would get kicked out of a town like that. You get robbed of it?"

Jack's facial expression became one of surprise. She knew? Who was this girl?

"Thought so. The political offices of Harvest Moon are easy prey to major companies across the sea. They probably noticed how well your farm was doing and took it from you by force."

"Right, that might be it," said Jack trying to smile.

"There's more to it?" she asked, her right eyebrow rising slightly.

"No well um...eh," murmured Jack.

"Your embarrassing yourself. That is common around me. Guys, especially strong guys, tend to not like smart women. But I don't have the same effect. I'm one of those girls that guys AND other women want to at least keep up with in a conversation. They normally don't, and make fools out of themselves. Then they continue to murder their sentences. Then they make some fool excuse for why they can't carry on the conversation."

"Uh no! I wasn't trying to seem smarter then you!" said Jack while in panic.

"Don't worry," continued Nami. "I knew you weren't." She smiled softly to Jack and walked out the door of the Inner Inn.

Jack walked out of the Inner Inn and watched her leave. Nami was unaware of Jack. The young farmer wanted to go after her and talk to her more. He wanted to know more about the mysterious girl, but couldn't find the courage. Jack leaned against a support beam to the balcony of the Inner Inn and sighed. "She was very interesting. She must be type of person that you wouldn't get mad at because of her intelligence, but look up to. She seemed to know a lot about talking to people. She seemed like she was reading my mind, but was actually just picking out changes in my composure and guessing on what was in my head. That must be why she wasn't showing any expression. She didn't want me to read her. She must have only smiled at me because she thought it would be okay to reveal that emotion. And...she didn't seem to become enraptured with me on this first encounter. SHE'S IMMUNE TO ME!" Jack laughed out loud at this.

"I finally found someone who is immune to me!" laughed Jack. It was so strange to him that every girl he met was instantly interested in him when they first met, and then soon after they'd love him. He didn't know if anyone was IN love, or if it was just a crush. Nami was the first girl that didn't get a crush on him during their first encounter. He had to get to know her more. She would be the only person that he would be able to talk to without her getting giddy or overly cheerful in the conversation. Karen was like that, but she would blush now and then. It didn't make him appreciate her or anyone else less, but it did make the conversation more awkward or turn to awkward subjects.

Jack looked up at the blue sky and smiled. Things were going to be good here after all. If Jack played his cards right, he might be able to get close to Nami and have his first FEMALE FRIEND, not girl friend or some girl who had a crush on him but just a girl who was just his friend! That had never happened to him before, and he planned on making that come true.

"She made an impression on you didn't she," said someone from behind Jack. Jack jumped slightly and turned around to face the person, but slammed into the support beam. This was followed by joyous laughs. "I guess I was right," said the voice again. Jack looked up and saw Rock, whom he met the other day, but didn't really get to know. He helped Jack up.

"Don't worry about that," continued Rock. "It's only natural that you'd be interested in her."

"Sure," said Jack awkwardly. "I am interested in her, but probably not for the same reason your thinking."

"Yeah? And what would that be?" asked Rock.

"She was the first person that didn't become show interest in me after one conversation."

"That sounds like a big headed thing to say," said Rock with a smirk... did this guy know Kai by any chance?

"It does, but it's true," continued Jack. "Every girl I've run into seems to like me. Before Nami, a girl named Karen had the record for 'longest without loving me.' She covers it up pretty well but I'm pretty sure she likes me. It kind of bugs me that I can't find a girl that just wants to be friends and that will actually pull it off. I think Nami may be that girl."

"You want a girl to talk to that won't swoon over you in the middle of the conversation?" laughed Rock. "I find that hard to believe but okay. So what brought you here to this boring place. This is a retirement home village, not the place for me."

"I got kicked off my farm by the government," said Jack glumly.

"What? The government? That's screwed up! And here I thought we didn't even HAVE one, I mean this TOWN doesn't even have a mayor!"

"Vote for me," said Jack smiling.

"Yeah right," laughed Rock. "You seem like a fun person Jack. How about we throw a party some time to liven up this place? Go talk to the pyrotechnicians some time. One of them wants to throw a party too. You do like parties right?"

"I threw one once at my farm in Mineral Town, before I lost it."

"Hmm...okay then. Later."

"Ta ta for now."

Rock walked away and towards the beach of Forget-Me-Not valley. Jack decided to proceed through town and get to know the inhabitants better.

* * *

The scholar Carter sat in the gloom of his dig site, looking at his recent discovery. He'd seen it many times before, but every time he digs up this statue, it brings him worry. Was Forget-Me-Not Valley the home of an ancient river civilization such as the Egyptians? Or is it something else. Carter's discoveries do not suggest much, other then that the people were artistic, and existed a long time ago judging by their skulls. By the shape of their skulls, the civilization was indeed very old. Carter would have an accurate date for which time they lived if only Daryl would agree to try radio-carbon analyzing for the skulls to see if they existed 50,000 years ago. Radio-carbon dating would only go that far back, and the skulls that Carter found were pre-human. But how could pre-humans already be doing farming and sculpting as his other discoveries showed? All pre-humans discovered were hunter gatherers! Weren't they? That is what pushes Carter on. He's standing on a scientific break through. The question of what human potential is lies in what our ancestors before we were human were capable of.

Worry worry worry... These skulls are not human, but close, and they were found right next to artifacts that are skillfully made. Next thing he knows he will find that they wrote and smelted metal! That would be a great discovery, but so long as people like Daryl refused to help... the discovery wouldn't be brought into the world. Carter needed all the help he can get to get this project finished. He appreciated Flora's help.

Carter put his small shovel into the ground and began to dig gently. Slight mistake could ruin everything. This was his life now. What if he found a clay tablet that would have something like Sumerian cuneiform on it? If he makes a mistake he might chip a piece off and might not be able to decipher it! Carefully, now... Careful. Carter nearly jumped when he heard a metallic bang. Scared of what he may have damaged, he slowly began to dig around the object. Once he isolated the spot, he gently brushed it off with his hands until he was able to lift out a somewhat large but very light brown stone. _"Careful observation reveals that it is dirty,"_ hypothesized Carter with a laugh. Carter took out a small brush and gently began to brush away the dirt. He came to a shiny black surface. It was some black metal ore. Carter stood up and walked out of the dig site. He blinked a couple of times as the sun met his eyes, and proceeded to the river to wash off the metal.

Carter proceeded to his tent. He had finished washing off the ore, and it was a strange metal. It was large, yet light. It seemed hard as well. This was definitely something that would be valuable to an ancient civilization! It would be perfect for making tools! If he could find something smelted into another form made out of the same metal, he would have discovered that pre-humans were very intelligent! And what if this metal was already an alloy! Then his discovery would already have been made! Not only that but this metal was (_evil_)...where did that come from? Carter tried his best to think about why he thought that. Some kind of...power did seem to resonate from this metal. Carter was positive that it was his own excitement that gave the metal it's 'aura.' Why would a metal resonate power? Not unless it was radioactive, but even then it wouldn't feel like this. It was an emotional power, such as one gets when listening to a beautiful finish in a symphony. Carter began to wonder exactly what this metal was like. He hit it with a small hammer and it wouldn't bend, as to be expected. Carter walked to a large hammer in the corner of his tent, picked it up, walked over to the ore and hit it. The metal cleaved. The ore wasn't as sturdy as he thought. He also noticed how it was flaking. The archaeologist took a brush from the shelf nearby and began to brush off the flakes. While doing this he began to wonder what it would be like if he discovered and proofed that there was a highly intelligent civilization of pre-human hominids in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Would he be famous? Yes. Would he become rich. Maybe. What would he do with the money? Get himself a nice trip? NO! If this discovery proves to be what he hopes it will be, this site will be his permanent home. Any money he gets for his discovery would go right to more tools, more excavators to help him, and anything else he needs to discover as much as he can about this old civilization. Deeper and deeper he'd go until he got to the very roots of this old place. What mysteries lie in wait for him?

"Carter," said a voice from behind him.

"Hello Flora," said Carter to his assistant. "Come and look at this metal ore I found. It's-"

"Messy," finished Flora.

"What?" said Carter. He looked down at the large pile of flakes and dust in the soil from his brushing. "I'll clean it up."

"Well when your done come on out and meet the new farmer," said Flora.

"Right," said Carter with a smile. A new farmer? Maybe he'd help with this excavation! Flora left the room and Carter looked at the large pile of metal flakes. Weird metal this was. If you got cut with this stuff it would probably deposit itself in the blood stream and cause problems. Carter wondered if the outside was hard from time, if it was like clay and hardened from heat. The soil in the dig site is damp, maybe water hardens the outside of this flaky and fragile metal. Carter looked at the ore shard in his hand and at the pile. The rock flaked off that much, but it hadn't changed! That wasn't possible! How could he shave off that much of the metal and remain unchanged! Now if Daryl isn't interested in something like this Carter will scream. This is some new kind of stuff! Carter cleaned up the dust and into a large bag, and marked it 'mystery metal shavings.' He would take this to Daryl's too, after meeting the new farmer.

Carter emerged from the tent. The young man next to Flora must be the new farmer.

"Hello there I'm Jack," said the new farmer. He seemed like a spirited young person. Carter had to laugh to himself in his mind. Here he was, a young person himself, not even in his thirties, and he was calling this guy young. Jack was probably no more then 18.

"Hello Jack," greeted Carter. "Welcome to the Valley. I'm Carter. I see you've met my assistant Flora. We are in the middle of an excavation. I think we are standing on a major discovery, but we are short on help. Please come by and help us out sometime."

"Sure sounds fun!" commented Jack with a smile.

"Really? Some say it's boring," said Carter. "I'm glad you said that. I think it's the finest thing in the world. Knowing that each grain of sand you move over brings you closer to truth. We've discovered hominid bones. Are you familiar with the term hominid?"

"I think so," said Jack. "Aren't humans considered hominids as well as earlier guys?"

"Correct, although some people will tell you otherwise."

"What else have you found?"

"Well wooden carvings, coins...I don't think this early civilization made the coins though. They are pretty modern looking. I think Daryl, the energy researcher, hid them in the dig site to make me look like an ass when I dig them up. He's jealous of me. I don't know why though." Carter looked at Flora, who was very attractive. _"But I have a good idea why,"_ Carter thought. "Well it was nice meeting you Jack, but I'm sure we both have things to do so I'm going to get back to work now."

"Okay bye," said Jack and began to walk off while humming a merry tune.

"Well you get back to it then Carter," said Flora. "Van's in town today and I've got to pick up our new shipment of tools."

"Right," said Carter. "Thanks." Flora left down the hill, Jack already near the bottom. Carter walked back inside his tent.

Carter gathered up the metal ore as well as all the instruments he used when he found it. He needed to show everything to Daryl. If Daryl decided to research this stuff, Carter would need to show him exactly what he used on it. A brush with softer bristles would probably not have the same flaking effect on this metal. Once he finished gathering up the tools, he proceeded out of the tent and down the hill. The river rolled to his side, and insects clicked merrily in the tall grass next to the river. This metal ore... what if water did effect it? Would that mean that there is more next to the river?

"Daryl open up!" shouted Carter. "I've made a potentially major discovery that will make us both famous if you but help me!"

"What is it?" shouted Daryl opening the large metal door to his lab. "What is with you Carter? How can you stand to spend your days digging away! What makes it so fun for you to live in the ground?"

"Live in the ground?" asked Carter. "It's not like you get anymore sunshine then me when you hold up in there all day."

"That's has nothing to do with it!" shouted Daryl, his tired red eyes blaring. "I was talking about digging up wooden carvings and not actually helping society! I WILL BE THE ONE TO CHANGE THE WORLD! I will be the one to solve energy crisis! I will someday create a form of clean and efficient energy that will run on a renewable resource! I will do it while you play in your holes!"

"Well in the mean time how about you-"

"Fine here's the skull!" shouted Daryl practically throwing an ancient skull into Carter's arms.

"What about it?" asked Carter.

"I hate to admit it but that is a good discovery," said Daryl calming down. "It looks human, and it is genetically similar, but it has properties about it that are so inhuman that that skull can't be human."

"What!" shouted Carter backing away.

"It's not human, but another skull that you gave me is very similar to that one but IS human. The first skull you gave me was obviously human. Very strange how these two skulls are. One suggests a pre-human that is anything but human, and a skull that is human found in the exact same dig site. Your probably thinking that the civilization evolved in this valley. Your support would be that you found the human skull above the layer of dirt where the sub-human was found. Well here's another surprise for you Carter. I did some radio-carbon dating and they are both of the same age. They existed at the exact same time!"

"Your joking?" said Carter stunned. How could something looks pre-human, exist with something that is human. How could that pre-human skull be absolutely inhuman at the same time. "And how is that sub-human...inhuman?"

Daryl closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I apologize for yelling. You are a great scientist like me. Truth is I am interested in the dig. Not before but now I am. You knocked on my door only five minutes after I finished analyzing the data my computer compiled. I am fascinated by the hominid skull. It's genetics say that it would look exactly like a hominid, and behave like a hominid. The only difference is that...it was cold blooded. It was like a reptile in that sense, but it was still covered in skin and had hair!"

Carter nearly jumped out of his skin. This was a huge discovery!

"Do you know what this means Daryl!" shouted Carter.

"No, and that is why you better get back to digging so we can find out what it means!" shouted Daryl, more out of enthusiasm then anger. "I will help. If this discovery proves to be right we could make a lot of money. I need more money so I can continue my energy research."

"Well I need you to study one more thing Daryl," said Carter. "I found a mysterious black metal digging today. It's strange. The outside is hard like a rock, but not like actual metal. I don't know if it's a rock or a metal. I hit it with a hammer and it cleaved into five separate pieces. I brushed it awhile, because it was flaking on the edge of cleavage, and I created a one and a quarter foot high pile of shavings. That isn't the weird thing though, it's the fact that the rock DIDN'T CHANGE after all that brushing!"

"I find that hard to believe. Give me the ore and I'll run some tests on it."

Carter took a pack off his back and opened it up. He showed Daryl the mysterious black metal, put it back in the pack and handed the pack to Daryl.

"I'll be going back to my dig site now. Come see me as soon as your done studying that metal."

"Right."

Carter began to walk off towards his dig site. Daryl stared after him. _"I can't believe I actually want to help that guy,"_ thought Daryl. _"But this is too important for grudges. Cold blooded pre-humans living with fully evolved humans? This is too important. And it will give me the chance to get closer to Flora anyway..."_ Daryl smiled and walked back into his lab. New motivation discovered at last.

* * *

How could a day that started out so well go so wrong? That was what was on Jack's mind as he left Vesta's farm. Celia... Not another one! He had a feeling that he ensnared her the other day, but now he was sure of it. A hug wasn't something to get so worked up about, but when it feels the same from someone you just met from someone you knew for three years and obviously liked you (i.e. Ann, Popuri, Elli, and Mary) then you knew she liked you. In addition she gave him that warm smile with a blush that he'd seen on Karen when he invited her to the party he threw.

Jack was going to visit the neighboring farm just for a quick visit, and introduction. He had walked up to Vesta, and Celia. Marlin was probably somewhere else. Most likely over where the merchant Van was. Jack passed introduction to Van when he came in, but said that he'd get better acquainted as he came back that way after his visit to Vesta's farm.

While Jack was there he asked about what kind of seeds are best for the seasons in this valley. Jack knew that the temperature would make a difference for which seeds to sow in which seasons. Once he got the information he needed, he began to walk out of the building. Celia stopped him.

"Hello Jack!" she had told him.

"Oh hello there Celia," Jack told her. She had blushed slightly but warmly.

"I see you remembered my name," she had said.

"Yes..." said Jack awkwardly. "Yes, I did."

"Yes, Celia here has taken quite a shine to you Jack," said Vesta all of a sudden, embarrassing Jack and Celia at the same time. Either Vesta didn't notice or it had the desired effect, for she continued on. "Jack, I hope you will consider marrying Celia some time soon."

All Jack was able to do was gasp, while Celia buried her head in her hands.

"Well!" Jack had said trying to be as cheerful as he could. "Thank you for...telling me that...I will be on my...way now..." Jack gave a weak laugh and walked out of the house. Celia followed him outside. She caught up with Jack and apologized on Vesta's behalf.

"She umm..." Celia stuttered to Jack, her face was bright red.

"She sure is involved in your life!" laughed Jack.

"Yes..." Celia had said meekly. "You aren't angry at her are you?"

"No," said Jack.

"Are you upset with me?"

"Hahaha no I'm used to things like this."

Celia smiled in response, and flung her arms around Jack.

"Thanks!" she said and quickly withdrew, blushing and muttering apologies.

That is what happened to Jack at Vesta's farm. He didn't hate the fact that women found him appealing but really! How could it happen to so many women... Jack was even asking this to himself as he wandered back towards the main town. He happened across Nami as he went, who saw and listened to the event.

"So that is what Rock was talking about," said Nami, surprising Jack. The farmer turned to face her.

"You saw that?" asked Jack.

"Yeah," replied Nami, and seemed to sigh while doing it.

"Are you sleepy?" asked Jack.

"It's the spring, it does this to me," said Nami. "It gets worse in summer, sometimes I pass out from the heat. It's hotter here in Forget-Me-Not valley then in other places. So are you making a bet with yourself when I will fall for you?"

"Gah! NO! I don't want you to at all! I would like a female friend who isn't-"

"You seem like a nice guy but your choice of words doesn't suggest that you'd be popular with girls."

"I'm confused about it myself," commented Jack, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile on his face.

"I think it's your face," said Nami. Jack's attention locked on her. "You have one of those faces. Somewhat like Apollo incarnate, or Aros to be more precise."

"Apollo was the god of the sun wasn't he?"

"Yes, and the god of sportsmanship, said to look very handsome."

"And who's Aros?"

"The Romans called him Cupid. He was the male god of love. He is depicted with either arrows, or with a hare. Yes I think you would make a fine Aros considering your good looks and that aura of... hmm. I don't think there's a word for it."

"Well umm thanks for the comments?"

"Relax. They are just that, comments. Simple flattery. It won't make a difference in the slightest because I'm going to be leaving this pl-" Nami cut herself off and showed a surprising amount of emotion in her face. "I FORGOT TO LEAVE! Have I really been here this whole time? How did I afford it!" Nami rushed off to the Inner Inn.

Jack stared after her in confusion. What just happened? Was she some sort of traveler? Jack ran after her, and scurried into the Inner Inn.

"What you mean you've been paying for my stay!" shouted Nami. "Your not supposed to do that! I pay or I leave! What are you planning on making me do when you get my bill high enough!"

"We're not plotting anything," pleaded Tim. "Ruby and me just didn't want you to leave! We've grown attached to you, like your our daughter!"

"Absurd!" replied Nami. "What are you doing here Jack?"

"Me?" questioned Jack, surprised that Nami knew he was there without turning around.

"This is none of your business Jack so leave," said Nami coldly. "But if it will make you feel better if I tell you what happened back there fine. You know I've been to Mineral Town, but it wasn't on a visit. I was traveling around, and I came here and forgot to leave. Now before you forget to do the same leave this room."

Jack wanted to object, but felt it would be better if he left. He needed to finish his rounds of introduction anyway.

Jack exited the Inner Inn and proceeded towards the Blue Bar, and get to know the people there better. On the way he came across Wally and his son Hugh. Unusual name for a boy Jack thought, but didn't give it too much of a thought.

"Hello there my friend," said Wally cheerfully while keeping a look of confidence on his face. "Would you like to FEED ME!" Wally said darkly. Jack frowned.

"What?" he managed to say.

"Would you like to take a jog with us," said Wally, perfectly normal.

"Yeah would you like to jog with us?" said Hugh. "SO THAT I CAN EAT YOU!" he finished darkly.

"What are you talking about? Jogging? Eating?" inquired Jack.

"Yeah we would like you to go jogging with us," said Wally. "And don't worry, we'll take a lunch break. Do you just want to jog so that you'll be hungry around lunch time?"

"Hugh said something about eating me..." said Jack with a puzzled look on his face.

"What?" said Wally with a laugh.

"I said that we'd like to jog with you to see how fit you are," said Hugh. "I didn't say I wanted to eat you. What made you think that I wanted to CRUSH YOUR HEAD IN!"

"I didn't think that you were going to crush my head in!" said Jack.

"Dad he's scaring me," said Hugh with a puzzled look of his own.

"Maybe he's just stressed out about the move here," said Wally. "If you come with us you can DIE lose stress during the THERE IS NO WHERE TO RUN run and you will feel better at the end THE END IS COMING! FEED ME! will be more then happy to invite you to lunch, Chris is my wife by the way. She will be making some energy restoring RESTORE MY ENERGY SO THAT I MAY LIVE foods and energy drinks I WILL DRINK THE ESSENCE OF YOUR SOUL. Jack maybe you should LIE DOWN DEAD lie down. You look pale."

"I don't want to ofofend you but youururur...you sound possossosseeeessed!" stuttered Jack.

"Possessed? I WILL POSSESS YOU SO FEED ME! Jack you really must be stressed out. Come for a run with us, it will KILL YOU!"

"You are possessed!" shouted Jack, fear in his eyes.

"What with my running? Everyone thinks I'm possessed! Is it that wrong to run all the time?"

"No! But your talking about killing me and other stuff in the middle of your sentences with a dark voice!"

"Dark voice?" asked Wally tilting his head to one side.

"You hear it too?" asked Hugh with fear in his eyes. Wally looked down at his son.

"What dark voice?" asked Wally growing concerned.

"I was hearing Mr. Tim talk evil yesterday," said Hugh. "And I heard Mr. Sebastian do the same! But mom told me it was just my imagination! But Jack can hear the voice too! It says 'feed me' and stuff like that."

Jack looked from Wally to Hugh quizzically. "Are you guys trying to scare me?" asked the puzzled farmer. "I try not to be prejudice but I think cannibalism is wrong, so I'm just going to leave now. And please don't eat anyone!" Jack began to walk away from them. Hugh ran up to him and tugged on his pant leg. Jack looked down at the boy.

"We don't want to eat you, its the ghost guy that wants to! I think the ghost lives in Daryl's lab! He says weird things to people, and so does the ghost. It's okay, jog with us!"

"Fine, but you better not try and eat me!" commented Jack with a half smile half frown. "Just let me finish my visit to the Blue Bar. I want to get to know the workers there better."

"Now you definitely are going to get eaten!" laughed Wally.

"Huh?" questioned Jack.

"Oh you'll see," said Wally with a wink. "We'll be over by the well warming up." Wally turned towards the sea, and Jack did too. How did Jack not notice that the merchant's stand was there. "Hello Van didn't see you there," said Wally. "Are you planning on eating anyone today?" Wally began to laugh.

"Hello," said Van. "I am not the way I am because I gobble down people. It's my metabolism. I am always traveling and yet I stay this way."

"Have you gotten off the Napkins diet yet?" asked Wally while trying to hold back a laugh.

"It was called the Mapkins diet," said Van.

"Oh right. Personally I think that the new diet thing called Atkins would work better. Napkins sounds better though for someone like you though. No wait, Seefood diet is better. You see food you eat it."

"I don't want to be on a see food diet," said Van, seeming to be insulted.

"I know. But bumping into wall diets aren't going to help. You need to work out more then you already do if you want to lose some weight. Oh and by the way this is Jack."

"Hello again Jack," greeted Van. "We meet again."

"Yes hello again Van," said Jack.

"You've meet before?" asked Wally.

"Yep, but we haven't exactly been introduced to each other exactly," said Jack. "So Van your a merchant. Have you ever been to Mineral Town? That is where I was before I came here and I never saw you there."

"That's Won's territory," said Van. "I lost the privilege to go there on a bet."

"What was that?" asked Jack

"Oh well Won told me I must eat one JUST one salted peanut in the period of one hour, while standing next to a bowl of salted peanuts in a room all by myself. I've been stuck on the stuff ever since." Van grabbed a hunk of his bowels and stretched it out and looked at it. "Still don't know how he knew I ate more then five bowls."

"You'd probably have gotten away with two or three," said Wally. "But you can't pass off five bowls as one peanut!"

"Hmm...maybe your right..." said Van. "Anyway nice to meet you Jack."

"Like I said Jack me and Hugh will be by the well," said Wally. "Lets go son."

"Sure dad!" said Hugh merrily and they both ran down to the well.

Two words to describe Jack's thoughts about that conversation from feed me to Van. Veeeerrrrllly intuuresting!

* * *

Daryl had just finished his experiments on the strange mineral that Carter gave him. Weird stuff... It could be shaved away without losing mass. It also had a strange unknown chemical, something that gave Daryl the chills just looking at under microscopes. It was almost as if the chemical was some sort of 'evilium.' It excited Daryl and scared him. The stuff could produce an enormous amount of energy when it was smelted or had anything done to it for that matter. This metal just may be the key to gaining a powerful renewable power source! A nugget of this would produce more energy then coal, and it would burn cleanly. It gave him the chills when he burned the shavings. Instead of giving off a gas, it gave off some emotional trauma as a waste. That wouldn't be too much of a problem, and since it could be shaven and not lose mass it would be the ideal power source. It's the next best thing to cold fusion!

How is that such an element could exist? A type of metal that can flake without changing? And it was a hard metal when you smelted it. It was easy to work with when it hand not been melted, and when you did, it was near indestructible. It could be made to make powerful alloys, produce energy, and all you need is the one nugget and the shavings could be compressed and melted for all the other needs. However, that might take too long. Daryl had to get more of the Black Metal. It was as if it was calling out to him to dig deep into the earth...

"Power," Daryl stuttered. It was a mysterious force. It could save money, and lives. And yet it also took those things. This stone, it's power... What called from the depths of the earth? Was it the stone or something else. It was like the stone was a medium. Daryl didn't believe that the stone was calling for him, but subconsciously he knew he heard the voice of the darkness. Dig...dig now!

Daryl quickly packed up everything he could get his hands on and carry that could be used to dig. THIS WAS IT! Daryl stepped into the day, destiny on his mind. Super powerful coal that could be burned forever! Daryl stopped for a moment to think a bit. He has caused trouble once or twice in the pursuit of bettering the world, but he never really thought that what he did was bad. That was what made him partly crazy. But even now he could tell this would lead to something dangerous. War's over this metal to make weapons or energy in other countries? No...something like war but not exactly what he was thinking. Something told him that if they dug too deep, something bad would happen. A war would start but it wouldn't be over the coal, it would be over freedom. However, Daryl shrugged off the feeling with what logical mind he had and proceeded on. Though he kept in mind that it was absurd that something evil lurked in the coal, he still couldn't shake off that eerie feeling it gave him.

* * *

Jack approached the Blue Bar, he could here an old phonograph playing in the bar. Laughter could also be heard within and the sound of a guitar being played. Jack opened the door and walked in. Several members of town that he had yet to meet were inside. The two pyrotechnicians were inside, as well as a man with a rather large green hat on. Rock was also inside.

"Ah! Jack!" Rock announced merrily. "I just finished telling these guys about you!"

The man in the strange hat walked up to Jack and held out his hand.

"I'm Gustafa," he said. They shook hands. "Don't work yourself too hard, gets pretty hot here in the summer."

"Either from our fireworks or your playing skills," laughed the pyrotechnicians. One of them walked up to Jack.

"Hi I'm Kassey," he said holding out his hand. They shook hands. "I'm the best pyrotechnician in the world."

The other brother walked up to Jack, and they shook hands too.

"I'm Patrick," he said. "Second best pyrotechnician."

Jack noticed a way he could tell them apart. Kassey had a smiley face on his trousers while Patrick had a flower.

"And I'm Griffin as you know," said the bartender, not taking his fingers away from his guitar. "Oh Muffy," he said calmly. "She only got to hear your name yesterday. I'm sure she would like to become more acquainted with you. Muffy! Come out!"

And she came out. Jack had to admit she was pretty, but she was revealing... That was his only complaint. Usually a girl like that turned out to be strange. And she was just that.

"TASTY JACK!" She growled. "PEPPERJACK YUMMY! YOU SHALL FEED ME! YOU SHALL BE MY SUBSTANCE TO GREATNESS! I SHALL RULE! FEED ME! FEED ME! FEEEEEED MEEEEE!"

She pulled up her dress. Where her stomach should have been was a hideous monster! It had razor sharp teeth that overlapped. It had one singular eye that was like a glass ball filled with blood. The creature opened it's mouth and released a horrible roar that sounded from the pits of hell. Jack screamed and ran from the Blue Bar as fast as he could.

"You scared off another one," Rock laughed.

"That'll teach you to try and turn my bar into a strip club!" Griffin yelled, still angry with her stunt.

"Sorry," she said. "I have another dress on underneath!" She began to fuss with how she just wanted to surprise him.

"Oh hello Jack!" Rock screeched trying to mimic her voice. Her voice wasn't nearly as high in pitch as Rock was trying to reach for, adding to the humor. "Welcome back Jack! You are going to have fun! You shall be my dance partner! We will rule! Rule! Rule! Ruuuuule!" Rock jumped up on the bar and began to dance around like a fool while flapping his vest up and down. Everyone laughed hysterically.

"What would we do without you Rock!" Gustafa laughed. "Hey lets play him a few tunes Griffin!"

"Alright," Griffin said while remounting his guitar on his knee.

They began to play a sexy tune while Rock was laying on the bar with his head propped up on his arm and his other arm laying against his side. His hand was on his hip. He reached out gracefully for Kassey's head and said "Oh Jack!"

They all jumped when Muffy slammed the door. She went back to her sleeping quarters fuming about how they were making fun of her. However, they didn't pay much mind to the slammed door, as they began to laugh heartily once again.

Elsewhere, a certain black sword belonging to a certain Cliff began to glow dull red just as the creature Jack saw on Muffy roared.

* * *

Nami was not happy with herself. How could she have forgotten to leave? Nami looked out her window at the coming dark night. The nights were beautiful and peaceful, but she hated them. He didn't go to sleep till late in the evening. She didn't like to sleep in this village. Ever since she came here she had been having horrible nightmares about cold blooded Neanderthal warriors coming out of the ground with black swords. Blood, destruction, and pain. Why did she stay here so long? As she looked out the window she could see Jack running around the Valley with Wally and Hugh. If she didn't have a reason to stay before, she did now.

"Stupid Nami," she said to herself. "You let him ensnare another one."

* * *

_ "Dear diary,  
The town his haunted! People are becoming possessed and that Muffy girl nearly ate me with her stomach! What kind of monster was she? Oh well... I'll try and get some sleep anyway."_


End file.
